


panic

by orphan_account



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-10 16:15:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19908586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Stephen helps Tony through a panic attack.





	panic

Not for the first time, Tony's shaking hands rivaled Stephen's.

The panic attack left him breathless, hands clenching and unclenching into fists. His eyes were screwed shut, brow furrowed. Flashbacks of previous trauma assaulted him at all fronts. 

"Tony?" Tony's eyes flew open at the sound of his lover's voice, then closed again as another wave of phantom pain rolled over him. 

Stooping to his level on the ground, Stephen gathered Tony in his arms and held him. Tony grasped at the fabric of the other man's pants, white-knuckling them in his closed fists. 

"Breathe," Stephen reminded him, holding his hand over his heart and applying gentle pressure in an attempt to ground him. 

Tony's diaphragm spasmed with the effort, but he complied with the demand. 

Sitting in between Stephen's legs on the floor, his arms wrapped around him, assisted in bringing him down. The familiar cool of the hardwood floor helped, too. 

Slowly, surely, his breathing returned to a normal pattern. With that stable supply of oxygen, his mind cleared and the flashback faded from his primary thoughts.

Bitterly, the metallic tang of blood refused to leave from the back of his throat. 

"How are you feeling?" Stephen's warm baritone kept him from slipping back.

"Better." It struck him how lucky he was to have someone like Stephen in his life. Someone he could give his everything to and have it reciprocated. Unsure how to express his feelings, he settled with something simple: "Thank you." 

Stephen only hummed in response, resting his head in the crook of Tony's neck. It didn't last long, as soon Stephen was encouraging him to get to his feet. 

"We can cuddle in bed. It's far more comfortable, you know." Stephen grinned gently at him. 

Tony grunted, sliding socked feet across the floor as he made his way to their bedroom. 

"Careful," Stephen reminded him. 

Fighting the urge to look back and stick his tongue out at the man, he nodded and fell into a normal walking pattern. 

Finally reaching their bedroom, Tony clambered into their bed, patting the space next to him insistently. Stephen was so unbearably slow sometimes. 

The goofy grin Stephen gave him subsided his brief annoyance, and he couldn't help but return it. 

"Slowpoke," Tony mumbled, and pulled the covers over them. 

Stephen chuckled softly and gathered him in his arms once more, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead. 

"Good night, Tony."

**Author's Note:**

> my first, albeit quick, contribution to this pair. hope I did them justice. 🤙


End file.
